Chromebooks for Learning

We are delighted to continue the Chromebooks for Learning Scheme at Witton Park Academy; an exciting project taking our students’ learning experience to a new level.

Our students’ daily lives are filled with technology, and they are quick to embrace new developments. We want them to feel at ease in this rapidly changing climate.

We believe using Chromebooks will enable our students to become well-informed, responsible digital citizens and lifelong learners. All students at Witton Park Academy will have access to a Chromebook – either their own, or one from the school’s pool for use in lesson time only.

Once our students have access to their own devices, we firmly believe the new scheme will bring enormous educational benefits and expect parents to get behind this ground-breaking initiative.

We must stress, however, that the scheme is voluntary. To ensure that no-one is disadvantaged, provision in school will be made for those who choose not to join the scheme. Ideally, our preference would have been to purchase Chromebooks for all students from school funds; but sadly, due to increasing financial pressures, this is simply not possible.

In the 21st century, it is important for students’ educational experience to be as varied, dynamic and stimulating as possible. Our extensive research, and experience over the past two years, has convinced us that this technology will support our aims, which is why we are so keen to press ahead with the scheme.

A balanced combination of school and home learning is crucial to the future success of young people and technology opens the door to a new and engaging world that extends effective study way beyond the confines of the classroom. Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education gives our students ready access to information wherever they are, whenever they like.

Chromebooks supplements the existing learning strategies at Witton Park Academy, letting students study safely, effectively and productively. Trials of the devices were highly successful, and we saw a significant increase in student engagement.

All of the information that you need about our scheme is here on our website and in the Parent Handbook below:

Students need to be prepared for an increasingly digital world. Research has confirmed that good home access to technology has a positive impact on a child’s educational achievements; it often motivates them to do school work by providing move interesting and engaging ways to learn. Students work is often better presented so their self-esteem grows and they can explore subjects that interest them in their own time.

Chromebook Features

Less than 8 seconds to boot up

Long battery life

Simple technology

Easy student-teacher workflow

Large numbers of computers can be managed centrally

Excellent collaboration tools

Works seamlessly with Google Apps for Education and other cloud-based applications which all of our students and teachers already use extensively

The following are just a few examples of what students will do at Witton Park Academy:

Create, share and collaborate using Google Apps for Educations (GafE)

Use subject related apps in the classroom and at home

Collaborative learning

Traditional methods of learning and teaching still have an important place in education and will continue in our school. Chromebooks should be seen as an educational tool, not as a replacement for these methods. Our teachers and students are trained to use these devices productively and appropriately. In fact we have been awarded by Google themselves as a Lead School for Google.